Story Highlights

The abrupt change from one mayor to another has not halted the growing prosperity and inequality facing Nashville.

Far from it.

Rapid population growth, booming businesses, rising housing prices and the increasing cost of living are on track to continue regardless of who heads Metro Government.

Nevertheless, the Mayor’s Office can serve as a countermeasure, a champion and a voice for citizens who are struggling, living in poverty or homeless.

The mayor is someone who can invest money in helping create a more economically inclusive city.

That was a campaign promise of former Mayor Megan Barry, who invested millions more than past mayors in affordable housing, who created job opportunities for youth, and who gave citizens hope that she could balance anti-poverty measures with strong economic development.

“I’m here to ask for forgiveness,” then Vice Mayor Briley said on Oct. 4. “We have designed a place and accepted a place where there’s too much violence and poverty. We have designed a place where people don't have housing.”

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Mayor Briley sat down with the Tennessean and commented on Nashville General
Michael Schwab

One of the coalition groups, Nashville Organized for Action and Hope, organized a forum Thursday evening called "Transit and Affordable Housing: Voting Your Priorities" at Lee Chapel A.M.E. Church in North Nashville.

Since Briley supports the $5.4 billion transit plan referendum on May 1, it would benefit him to listen and work with these groups to show how these priorities are not mutually exclusive.

Creating an inclusive economy amid growth

Briley came to visit with The Tennessean on Thursday – his second full day on the job – and we talked about the wealth gap, compassion and advocating for the underdog in an interview, which was originally broadcast live on Facebook.

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Metro Nashville's eighth mayor, David Briley, was interviewed by Tennessean Opinion and Engagement Director David Plazas on March 8, 2018.
The Tennessean

Here are some excerpts from Briley’s remarks:

“It is hard to see neighborhoods being torn down, communities being negatively affected, destroyed by the changing environment. I feel a lot of pain for those communities.

“It’s not clear exactly how much the mayor can do to stop that. People sell their houses voluntarily. That’s a reality of the circumstances.

“What I believe we have to do is to make sure that everybody has access to the piece of the pie, to make sure that people have access to financial capital, to make sure that people have access to educational capital, that they get the opportunity to learn, to make sure the playing field is fair and level.

“I hope it gives me a good perspective about what’s good about Nashville and will focus me on trying to maintain it – our neighborhoods, the accessibility to community here, the religious community," he said. "All those things are what make Nashville pretty special.”

However, he added this caveat: “Nashville is not the parochial place it once was. As we save what’s important here, we also have to be focused on what’s good in other places and try to bring it here.”

Voters will decide in an upcoming special election whether they think he deserves more time to make a mark.

David Plazas is the director of opinion and engagement for the USA TODAY NETWORK – Tennessee and opinion and engagement editor for The Tennessean. Call him at (615) 259-8063, email him at dplazas@tennessean.com or tweet to him at @davidplazas.